1. Consumer Behavior MK 527
Paulina Jaswiec
Socio-culture environment and the affects on consumer behavior
cultural affects on consumer behavior
Japan’s
3. Background
▪ Culture is educated to individuals in
their daily life’s by other individuals
and institutions
▪ “consumer behavior is largely
dependent on culture factors, of
mutually shared operating
procedures, unstated assumptions,
tools, norms, values, standards for
preserving, believing, evaluating and
communicating.” Andrew Masiglia
▪ environmental stimuli
▪ marketing stimuli
4. The LAWS of CULTURE
• Culture is shared, &
learned.
• Culture fulfills needs in
societies.
• Culture develops
language, symbols, rituals
and peoples identities.
• Culture constantly evolves.
5. Framework
interpreting the mindset of:
Old World Japan
▪ Wisest/ Prideful
▪ value their achievements and
traditions.
▪ life philosophy plays a big role in
every life and throughout their
existence in this world.
▪ extreme measure of discipline,
health, public order, environmental
respect, simplicity, craftsmanship,
cohabitation, and quality service
EDO Period
6. EDO Lifestyle Old World Japan
▪ Forced into a 15-year period of studies that
were divided into scholastic and human
development.
▪ The scholastic part: chosen for you and it
always (depending on the wealth of your parent,
where you lived, your ancestral back ground)
▪ One could never aspire to become something
better than his parents, however it was possible
to become better than this parent at what they
do
▪ Human development was a mandatory
expectancy and consisted of art, dance,
theatrics, sculpting, architecting, sports, and
meditation. Working became known as a art.
This is why cooks were the most skilled knifemen,
fighting became a dance to the death, and farming
was known as becoming one with the earth.
7. Framework
interpreting the mindset of:
New World Japan
▪ The Lost Children
▪ Losing TRADITONAL roots
▪ adapting to a routine that fits there
current situation
▪ Economic downturn
▪ Individuality movement
▪ Quality of Life
▪ Living separately
8. Post EDO Lifestyle
New World Japan
▪ EDO generation believe this the new
generation is loosing its traditional roots and
adopting to the European/ American lifestyle.
▪ No longer was youth looking for high quality
at a high price, but affordability
▪ They want to work smart and hard.
10. EDO
▪ Hard work + quality
nutritious+ active lifestyle +
stricter rules=
healthier/longer living.
▪ Currently people live till
82.7 years (IMB, 2010).
▪ Spend time looking for a
quality item for a better
offer, discount, or sale
▪ Want youth to be in school-
just as they did
▪ Want tradition back
11. POST EDO
▪ Affordability: along with
independence comes
more bills, & less
spending money
▪ Women empowerment:
Clothes become more
reveling & social
expectance in
gatherings
▪ Balance lifestyle: more
hobbies, and at home
activities
12. POST EDO Marketing Strategies- less materialistic
Low End Demands
• Affordablility: (Tesco, Target,
McDonald, Ikea, Walmart)
• Women empowerment: shopping
experience
• Balance lifestyles: software/
smartphones/ gaming/ computer/
tech/ and video opportunities
• Compact lifestyles- compact
products
• Value- timeless, simple design that
is durable
• Open to new influence, trends, &
products
• Online Segment
13. EDO Marketing Strategies- hunt for value
High End Demands
• Look for Novelty & have
high standards- value fresh
items, quality, and
craftsmanship
• Expect Best service and
quality at a bargain price or
they lose interest
• Always make sure the price
is the same across all
markets- if you are caught
with a higher price you lose
credibility in their eyes
14. Contemporary vs Traditional Worlds
Youth:
According to the HRO, Japanese youth have been classified as the, “smart consumers.” The
will put in their research to find the best options before making a purchase as well as consider
any potential health related issues, the environmental impacts and where the product was
produced (Hro, 2007).
Elderly:
According to Ceanus, Japanese elders have been classified as the, “most demanding
customers.” Quality and Stature are on the top of their shopping list. Knowing this, most
companies will over staff their facilities to ensure that each target shopper gets the absolute
best service. This type of customer will even go as far as to rate the packaging, warranty time
frame, customer buying experience, and expects no defects (HRO, 2007).
15. Reference
• Ceanus. (2012, March). Japan’s Consumer Trends and Opportunities. Ceanus Marketing by Dzolin- taking
your business to Japan. Retrieved from: http://www.oceanus
marketing.com/2012/03/24/japan%E2%80%99s-consumer-trends-and-opportunities
• HRO. (2007, March). Understanding the Japanese’s Mindset. HRO Today Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 2. Family
Involvement. Retrieved from: http://www.hrotoday.com/content/1640/ understanding-japanese-mindset
• Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing Management. 11th edition, Prentice-Hall India. ISBN 10: 0130497150
• IMB. (2010, March). The Japanese Consumer: Behaviour, Attitudes and Perceptions toward Food
Products. International Market Bureau: Market Analysis Report. Canada, Ottawa. ISSN 1920-6593
• Marsiglia, A. (2010, December 26th). Cultural Effects on Consumer Behaviour. www.lead_inspire. com.
Retrieved from: http://lead-inspire.com/Papers-Articles/Leadership-
Management/Cultural%20Effects%20on%20Consumer %20Behavior%20Paper%20122610.pdf
• Salsberg, B. (2010, March). The new Japanese consumer: The attitudes and behavior of Japanese
consumers are shifting dramatically, presenting opportunities and challenges for companies in the world’s
second-largest retail market. McKinsey & Company- Quarterly Review. Retrieved from:
http://www.mckinsey.com/ insights/consumer_and_retail/the.new_japanese_consumer
Notas del editor
Some psychologist and behaviorist, such as Geert Hofsted, believe culture is educated to individuals in their daily life’s by other individuals and institutions. Maybe this is where marketing came from? I remember learning about the effects of propaganda, during the Nazi regime. The people that were constantly exposed to the manipulating images with horrific words, begin feel the words when looking at the images. Their attitudes changes drastically which lead to the participation of the horrible events that followed. As a result people began to study psychological affects and correlation of this phenomenon. It is apparent that people are affected by the world, images they see, sounds they hear, feelings they feel and textures they touch.
According to Andrew Masiglia, an expert in effective communication and world leadership describes the merge between culture and consumer behavior as a multidimensional process. In fact Masiglia statements, “consumer behavior is largely dependent on culture factors, of mutually shared operating procedures, unstated assumptions, tools, norms, values, standards for preserving, believing, evaluating and communicating.” Over all in order for this process to become a mainstream vessel in the culture it must be shared amongst the individuals that inhabit it, and it must satisfy their needs.
Review: Culture is shared, & learned. Culture fulfills needs in societies. Culture develops language, symbols, rituals and peoples identities. Lastly, culture constantly evolves.
Old World Japan- the wisest
The older Japanese generation is a proud group. They value their achievements and traditions. Their life philosophy plays a big role in every life and throughout their existence in this world. They value extreme measure of discipline, health, public order, environmental respect, simplicity, craftsmanship, cohabitation, and quality service.
This generation grew up under the Edo Period, which was ruled by Tokugawa Shogunate. Tokugawa had strict social/ political/ environmental rules and believed each class had to have its very own codes (IMB, 2010).
The Japanese people were forced into a 15-year period of studies that were divided into scholastic and human development. The scholastic part was chosen for you and it always depending on the wealth of your parent, where you lived, your ancestral back ground. One could never aspire to become something better than his parents, however it was possible to become better than this parent at what they do but in a humble manner. Human development was a mandatory expectancy and consisted of art, dance, theatrics, sculpting, architecting, sports, and meditation. Working became known as a art. This is why cooks were the most skilled knifemen, fighting became a dance to the death, and farming was known as becoming one with the earth.
Even to this very day these codes have managed to affect the culture and the consumer behavior of this target group. This generation has a Edo way of consuming.
New World Japan- the lost children
It is the Edo generation that called the young Japanese, the lost children (Salsberg, 2010). They believe this generation is loosing its traditional roots and adopting to the European/ American lifestyle. As it may seem as this maybe true, if you look deeper into why these changes are occurring you will find that they are adapting to a routine that fits there current situation.
During this generational evolution many important factor contributed to the development of new Japanese culture: 1) economic downturn- loss of jobs has put pressure on the purchases power. No longer was youth looking for high quality at a high price, but affordability. 2) Women empowerment- became a trend, now women a voices. 3) Individuality movement- no longer do youth want to live with controlling family members. They are moving into cramped studio apartments, leaving little money to spend on the quality foods and items their parents purchase. (IMB, 2010) 4) Spend quality time- no longer is this generation wanting to spend long working hours always from home like their parents. They want to work smart and hard.
Behavior Principles- interpreting the consumerism of Old & New World JAPAN
Youth: Independent- Individualistic- Self-fulfilling
Affordablility: along with independence comes more bills, & less spending money
Women empowerment: Clothes become more reveling & social expectance in gatherings
Balance lifestyle: more hobbies, and at home activities
Both:
Health/ Environmental/ Dietary: the highest of the world
Elderly: Achievers- Controllers- Collectivism- Power Distance
Hard work + quality nutritious+ active lifestyle + stricter rules= healthier/longer living. Currently people live till 82.7 years (IMB, 2010).
Spend time looking for a quality item for a better offer, discount, or sale
Marketing Strategies – successful/ not successful/ + opportunities
Youth: Low End Demands (Less Materialistic)
Affordablility: (Tesco, Target, McDonald, Ikea, Walmart) new cheap lower quality items submerge and are becoming very popular (Salsberg, 2010)
Women empowerment: shopping experience changed with a goal to drawl in women
Balance lifestyles: software/ smartphones/ gaming/ computer/ tech/ and video opportunities
Compact lifestyles- compact products opportunities (Ceanus, 2012)
Value- timeless, simple design that is durable
More open to influence, trends, and new products
Online Segment is becoming more popular
Both:
Health/ Environmental/ Dietary: sport, dietary, and eco segment has huge opportunities here. BUT people are not persuaded or affected more to a brand because a famous person is wearing it (Salsberg, 2010).
Traditionally 4 time of anything is seen as bad- when packaging this should be remembered
Elderly: High End Demands (Hunt for Value)
Look for Novelty & have high standards- value fresh items, quality, and craftsmanship (Ceanus, 2012)
Expect Best service and quality at a bargain price or they lose interest (Ceanus, 2012)
Always make sure the price is the same across all markets- if you are caught with a higher price you lose credibility in their eyes (Ceanus, 2012)